On top of most current offers, here’s an
extra bonus 1 for Farm Bureau members.

Save even more on a truck
that works as hard as you do.
Chevrolet presents this exclusive $1,500 offer 1 toward the purchase or lease
of a Chevy Silverado HD Regular Cab just for Farm Bureau members.
Vincentric recently recognized the 2013 Chevy Silverado as having the lowest total
cost of ownership of any full-size pickup.2 Meaning you won’t simply save now —
you’ll save over time. And while saving is great, so is the confidence that comes
with driving the best full-size pickup in America. Rest assured, Silverado knows
the meaning of hard work. Visit fbverify.com/gm for your certificate.

1 Offer available through 4/1/14. Available on all 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet vehicles. This offer is not available with some other offers, including
private offers. Only customers who have been active members of an eligible Farm Bureau for a minimum of 60 days will be eligible to receive
a certificate. Customers can obtain certificates at www.fbverify.com/gm. Farm Bureau and the FB logo are registered service marks of the
American Farm Bureau Federation and are used herein under license by General Motors. 2 Ownership costs based on Vincentric
2013 Model Level Analysis of full-size pickups in the U.S. retail market.

Offer available through 4/1/14, and valid toward the lease or
purchase of new 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet, GMC and Buick models.
This offer is not available with some other offers, including private
offers (for example, Owner Loyalty). Offer is available with GM
Business Choice. Not valid on prior purchases. Valid FB Membership
Verification Certificate must be presented to dealer prior to delivery
of new vehicle. One Certificate per vehicle. Eligible FB members
may obtain an unlimited number of valid Certificates. Certificates
do expire. To be eligible, customers must be an active member of a
participating state Farm Bureau for at least 60 consecutive days prior
to date of vehicle delivery. Program subject to change without notice.
See dealer for complete details.

Farm Bureau Perspective
by Randy Veach
Faces of Agriculture — Sunni Wise
by Gregg Patterson
Policy Update
by Michelle Kitchens
New State Board Member Profiles — Thrash and Felts add talents
by Bricen Pace
Rural Reflections Photo
On the cover — Metal theft,
particularly copper wire,
continues to be a problem on
farms. Three Lonoke County
farmers have teamed up to help
curb it at grain bin facilities. The
article begins on page 4.

We’ve talked about the need for a new farm bill for so long that my personal opinion

of the “farm bill” has encompassed a full set of emotions, including anger, despair, disgust,
anxiety, concern, and – finally – relief.
President Obama has signed a new five-year farm bill, cobbled together by a conference

committee from the vastly different bills passed in 2013 by the House and Senate. I want to
thank those members of the Arkansas delegation who voted for passage. They understand
sustainable agriculture can only be achieved if long-term stability and profitability are part
of the equation. Sen. John Boozman and Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas were among the
conferees who worked diligently to bring about a compromise bill.
This is far from a perfect bill, with many of the historic safety net programs used in
the Midsouth now removed. But, frankly, the certainty of the new legislation is needed
for our farmers and ranchers. Having a five-year program, as opposed to year-by-year or
ad-hoc programs, was imperative, particularly as we go about making planting and livestock
decisions for the coming year.
The farm bill continues to be attacked from those unfamiliar with its general purpose.
You, in fact, may have been asked to defend the programs. In a nutshell, the purpose of
federal farm policy is to help ensure the availability and safety of the United States’ food
supply. It does that by helping farmers and ranchers ride the uncertainties of world market
forces, weather and government intervention. Bringing stability to the farm helps ensure
production capacity remains in place and dulls some of the risk farmers and ranchers
routinely face.
The federal farm bill is not something we should be ashamed of but something we

should be happy to defend and explain to those who question its value and purpose.

Publisher assumes no responsibility for any
errors or omissions. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without permission is
prohibited.

Those direct payments were crucial for many Midsouth farmers, particularly those who rely

The Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation
reserves the right to accept or reject
all advertising requests.
Send comments to:
arkansasagriculture@arfb.com

There are several things of note included in the 2014 farm bill, including more than
$7 billion for livestock producers through conservation (EQIP, etc.), disaster and grazing
programs.
The new legislation expands federal crop insurance and eliminates direct payments.
heavily on irrigation. We see an opportunity to work with USDA’s Risk Management Agency
to develop a crop-insurance program that will work for irrigated crops. As it stands now, the
expansion of crop insurance doesn’t help the majority of Midsouth row-crop farmers. The
proposed reference prices in this farm bill won’t replace the safety net that direct payments
provided, but at least it will help.
We are pleased the legislation preserves the farm bill’s permanent law tenets. It also
maintains the historic connection between commodity and nutrition programs. These were
issues for which Farm Bureau worked diligently to include in the legislation. We believe
the linking of the commodity and nutrition programs is natural, and obvious, where the
production of food and the feeding of those in need are appropriately connected.

Farmers make a living adapting to changes, whether they are market forces,
improvements in technology or weather. We’ll have to adjust to this new farm bill, for sure.
But I believe in the resourcefulness of our farmers and ranchers.
God bless you and your families. God bless the farmers and ranchers. And God bless
Farm Bureau.

Œ„´*

Arkansas Agriculture

3

Local far mers create

device to combat
wire thef t

System notifies owners when wires cut, electrical system compromised
by Steve Eddington

4

Arkansas Agriculture

F

Faced with a copper wire theft epidemic on grain bin

facilities, three Lonoke County farmers have uncovered, and
are now marketing, a theft detection system they believe will
yield dramatic results in the fight against wire theft.
Farmers Scott Mitchell, Matt Schafer and Jerry Kelly were

each victims of copper theft on their grain bin facilities –
Kelly several times. They tried to think of ways to thwart the
thieves who had figured out how to beat camera monitoring
systems and other theft deterrents. They also spoke to law
enforcement to understand their rights and limitations in
protecting their property.
Schafer went as far as staking out his farm at night.
“I’d have dinner, put the kids to bed and get out there
about midnight,” Schaefer recalled. “I had the perfect spot at
a crossroads on our farm, where I could see anyone coming
or going in any direction.”
He says he had the sheriff department’s number
programmed into his phone in one hand and a gun in his
other hand for protection. Problem was, after a long day on
the farm, Schaefer kept falling asleep.
“I’d wake up and say ‘where the heck am I?’ So I’m telling
myself ‘this isn’t fun, it’s probably not very safe, either.’
Finally, I told myself ‘I’m not doing this anymore,’” he said.
“But I knew there had to be something out there – some sort
of technology – that could help us with this problem.”
In the darkness of one of those stakeout nights last May,
Schafer reached for a piece of technology he had with him,
an iPad, and typed into the search bar how to stop copper wire
theft, agriculture. What popped up in the returns ultimately
led him, Mitchell and Kelly to the technology they’ve now
incorporated into a product they call BinSnitch.

Arkansas Agriculture

5

An Indiana-based company
named Net Irrigate had already
created a wireless irrigation
monitoring system that included
the ability to notify owners when
copper wiring was cut on centerpivot irrigation systems. Seeing
an opportunity to transfer that
technology to their problem with
copper wire theft on grain bin
systems, Schaefer and Mitchell
began a series of conversations
with the owners of Net Irrigate.
After several months of discussion
and a visit to Arkansas, Net
Irrigate’s general manager,
Edward DeSalle, came up with
system tweaks that would allow
deployment of his technology in a
grain bin environment.
“If you cut a wire or in any way
break a connection, the BinSnitch
immediately sends notice,” said
Mitchell, who was the first to have
the system installed on his grain
bins last July. “It sends notice out
to 10 different numbers through a
cell phone connection.”
Mitchell says it logs the GPS
coordinates where the device is
located and sends out an email,
text or voicemail message. “You
can program your home number,
your cell number, the sheriff’s
office, your neighbor, your farm
help, whoever,” he said. “Any
number you program into it.
“We think this can be a big help
to law enforcement. We want the
copper thieves to know there is a
deterrent that wasn’t there before.”
Mitchell says the thought of
those who engage in metal theft is

Steve Eddington

an irritant to his sensibilities.

6

Arkansas Agriculture

Build a better mousetrap (from left
to right) Farmers Jerry Kelly, Matt
Schafer and Scott Mitchell teamed
with Edward DeSalle to develop
the BinSnitch system to help
thwart copper wire theft at grain
bin sites.

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“You know, I’ve got to get up
every day, I’ve got to put a crop
in, I’ve got to get a crop out, and
I’ve got a family I want to see. I do
those things, because it’s the life I’ve
chosen,” he said. “But it’s not right
for a guy to take the wire out of my
bins, take it to a scrap yard and get
paid in cash and not pay taxes on
it. This guy doesn’t have a real job,
doesn’t have to pass a drug test, and
the next thing he does is wait until
I fix the wiring in my grain bins and
then hits me again. I don’t like a
copper thief.”
Kelly, who runs a law practice
in Carlisle and continues to direct,
along with his brother, the family’s
farming operation, understands the
difficulty in getting a conviction in
metal theft cases.
“I’ve been a special prosecutor.
I’ve been a judge, and I practice law,”
Kelly said. “I know what it takes to
bring about prosecution. And that’s
not easy (with this type of theft), and
there’s good reason for that.”
He says just having a photo of
someone at your grain bins doesn’t
automatically mean a conviction.
“You have to prove a person is guilty
of a criminal act beyond a reasonable
doubt. With the epidemic of metal
theft we have, the police are getting
a bad rap for not catching these
people, but they’re just as frustrated
as anyone,” Kelly said. “They’re tired
of pulling up and seeing the plastic
clippings from the wire casing that
has been cut and having a mad
landowner, because they haven’t
caught somebody. They know they

Wire theft The amount of copper
wire used at grain bin sites
along with the sites’ remote but
accessible setups make them
targets for thieves.

More than pictures It can take more than photos of thieves to
successfully get a conviction for wire theft. The BinSnitch system
can alert farm owners and law enforcement when a theft is in
progress, raising the chances that thieves are caught in the act.

Kelly says they knew Farm Bureau
had worked in the legislature last
session to get more teeth in metal

pictures of people hauling off your

something that took the control out

stuff.

of the thieves’ hands.”

“First off, we want to help the

The BinSnitch system is available

theft laws with only minimal success.

farmer. I cannot stand to think there

for $2,750 per unit. There are no

“We were concerned that our law

are people out there sitting up at

monthly monitoring fees, and the

enforcement didn’t have the tools

night to guard their grain bins,”

system operates on a battery with

needed to really impact metal theft,”

Mitchell said. “When that happens,

a three- to five-year power supply.

he said.

the cost of repair is far more

Mitchell says they’ve installed dozens

expensive than the wire that’s been

of units across Arkansas, with the

stolen. It’s devastating.

ability to go nationwide with the

They believe the BinSnitch system
can help both the farmer and law
enforcement.

“We’ve got enough sense to know

product. Those interested in finding

there’s going to come a time when

out more about the BinSnitch should

many of these BinSnitch devices can

Farm Bureau says it can’t afford to

contact AgSecure at 105 Park Street,

we get out there to stop this metal

insure your bins anymore or the cost

Suite B, Carlisle, AR 72024, or by

theft?” Mitchell said. “We believe

of that insurance is going to get so

calling (870) 552-5000.

this is going to help. You can get

high we can’t afford it,” Mitchell

cameras. But cameras are going to get

said. “We knew we had to do

“We want to make this work. How

10

Arkansas Agriculture

Arkansas Farm Bureau paid claims
in excess of $1 million for copper-

theft losses on grain bins, irrigation

Ag Chemicals
Direct to the farm

equipment and farm buildings in 2013,
with losses exceeding $2 million during
the past three years. Nationally, Net
Irrigate estimates wire theft accounted
for more than $1 billion dollars in
losses in 2013.
As a way to counter some of those
losses, Arkansas Farm Bureau will waive
an insured’s deductible up to $1,000 on
claims where a copper theft loss occurs
and BinSnitch was properly installed at
the time of the loss.
this can bring to a farmer, you can’t put
a dollar value on that,” Kelly said. “One
thing I know, these copper thieves are
sort of like lightning. You know they’re
going to hit, but you don’t know when,
“At least now, with BinSnitch,
you’ve got a fighting chance with the
thieves.”

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Arkansas Agriculture

11

Ag Hall of Fame inductees
New group to be honored

T

by Bricen Pace

Berry made sure President Clinton

Louisiana State University and

Fame will induct six individuals

was well versed on agricultural issues

a master’s in forestry from Yale

whose leadership and service have

affecting Arkansas and the rest of

University.

brought distinction to Arkansas

the country. His efforts resulted in

In the 1950s, Darling was a

agriculture, the state’s largest industry.

policy implementation promoting

young forester working for the

agriculture, trade and rural

Fordyce Lumber Company where

prosperity.

he pioneered the first landowner

The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of

The group will be honored at the

26th annual induction luncheon,
11:30 a.m., March 7 in the

assistance program, a new

to the United States House of

innovation in the forest industry at

Embassy Suites Hotel. Luncheon

Representatives for Arkansas’ 1st

the time. This program combined a

tickets are $35 each and are available

Congressional District, winning by

forester’s knowledge with landowners

by calling (501) 228-1470 or email

a small margin. But in the next six

struggling to make ends meet

aghalloffame@arfb.com.

elections, Berry would win with close

following the Great Depression and

to two-thirds of the vote or more.

World War II. The program helped

During this time, he was a major

farmers generate a supplemental

R. Marion Berry

advocate for lifting the trade ban on

income from their farm woodlots

earning a

Cuba, so Arkansas rice farmers could

through scientifically based forest

pharmacy

regain trade opportunities. Berry was

management and improve the value

degree from

a member of multiple committees

of their property while improving

the University

and a champion for agriculture

the forestland’s health and

of Arkansas, R.

throughout his House tenure; among

productivity.

Marion Berry,

those being on the House Agriculture

71, always has

Committee, where he helped write

Fordyce Lumber Company, Darling

had farming

the 2002 farm bill. Berry served in

continued his landowner assistance

Congress until 2011.

efforts, further expanding the

Despite

in his blood and used practices

When Georgia-Pacific bought the

learned on the farm to become

program. At the peak of Darling’s

an influential political figure in

career, he was responsible for

Arkansas agriculture. The Arkansas

managing 3 million acres of Georgia-

County rice and soybean farmer
from Gillett would eventually travel
to Washington, D.C. to promote
agriculture worldwide.

O.H. “Doogie” Darling
O.H.
“Doogie”

Pacific timberland, delivering wood
to 28 forest production mills in eight
states.
After retiring from Georgia-Pacific,

Darling, 85,

Darling served on the Deltic Timber

Berry to the Arkansas Soil and Water

of Crossett, is

Corporation’s Board of Directors for

Conservation Commission where

a well-known

12 years. Darling has been a member

he served from 1986 to 1994. When

name in forestry

of the Arkansas Forestry Association

Clinton won the White House, he

in southern

for almost 50 years and served as its

brought Berry to Washington with

Arkansas.

president in 1988 to 1989. He is also

him, appointing him as his special

Darling earned

a member of the Arkansas Foresters’

Governor Bill Clinton appointed

12

In 1996, Berry won election

Ambassador Ballroom of Little Rock’s

assistant for Agricultural Trade and

his forestry technician certificate

Hall of Fame and mentored many

Food Assistance, and as a presidential

from Arkansas A&M College (now

young foresters throughout the state.

advisor on the White House

the University of Arkansas at

Domestic Policy Council during

Monticello). He went on to earn a

Clinton’s first term. In these roles,

bachelor’s degree in forestry from

Arkansas Agriculture

Ruben H. Johnson

and securing a $904,000 grant to

farming his best rice ground year

study broiler production. As a result

after year. He also pioneered zero-

graduating from

of that grant, four broiler houses

grading of rice fields when he

the University

were constructed in Savoy for broiler

noticed how long it took for water

of Arkansas

research.

to drain from a traditional sloped

After

in 1955 with

Johnson retired in 1988 and

contour levee system. Zero-grading

a degree in

moved to Magazine where he uses

allowed the field to drain water

animal science,

his Extension experience to obtain

quicker in four directions rather than

Ruben H.

grants for local organizations, such as

the one sloped direction found in

Johnson joined

the Magazine Rural Fire Department,

a traditional rice levee system. This

the University

Booneville Development Corporation

led to extensive water conservation

of Arkansas Cooperative Extension

and the town of Magazine. He’s a

benefits. Isbell and his sons were the

Service as associate county agent in

Korean War veteran and retired from

first to do this in Arkansas.

Washington County. While Johnson,

the Arkansas Army National Guard as

now 83, began his career at the local

a colonel in 1984.

It took a trip to California by
Isbell’s son, Chris, to get involved

level, he quickly was promoted to

in another rice-growing innovation.

the state office after two years.

Chris met a Japanese man, who
claimed that Koshihikari, a Japanese

While in Washington County,
Johnson started the 4-H pullet
chain funded by the Sears-Roebuck
Foundation. His work with poultry

Leroy Isbell

rice variety, couldn’t be farmed
outside of Japan. Father and son
With

took on the challenge, successfully

in Washington County led to his

innovations in

cultivating the Japanese variety and

promotion to UACES Poultryman in

the rice industry

taking it to market in the U.S. and

1957. Johnson’s accomplishments

never before

eventually Japan when it opened

included his educational work on

attempted

trade for rice imports.

broiler production and the initiation

by anyone in

of some of the earliest work on

Arkansas or

to his family farm wanting to

proper use of poultry litter.

the U.S., Leroy

improve their own rice-growing.

Isbell, 89, of

The Isbell family is well respected

After working as poultryman for

Isbell’s successes bring visitors

seven years, Johnson was promoted

England, pioneered methods making

and recognizable in Japan where

to two divisional positions for the

his name internationally recognized.

the family’s picture adorns the rice

Southwest District: district resource

Isbell’s innovations during a 55-year

products it sells there.

development specialist (1964-70)

career are widely accepted today.

and district agent (1970-75). In

Isbell first learned about rice

1975, Johnson became UACES State

farming from GI bill classes he

Leader for Agriculture where he had

attended after leaving the Navy. He

administrative responsibility for

began with 40 acres, paying for the

35 counties. Under his leadership,

first crop with his GI bill paycheck.

specialists and agents increased

In1959, Isbell purchased 900 acres

in agricultural

educational programs, such as

— then in use for fish production —

practices are

research verification programs in

and modified it for rice.

necessary for

various commodities. With the latest

Isbell rebelled against the

Keith Lusby
Innovations

agriculture

research available, production yields

common rice-growing practices like

and livestock

increased and production costs

rotating rice crops in fields to lessen

production to

decreased.

the impact of red rice problems.

grow. Moreover,

Johnson’s major accomplishments

He found that by water seeding his

the methods and

were his appointment to the position

rice crops, he controlled red rice

facilities used in educating students

of UACES Acting Director in 1981

problems so well he could continue

should be innovative, too. Keith

Arkansas
Arkansas Agriculture
Agriculture

13
13

S. Lusby, 66, of Fayetteville, who
earned an animal science doctorate
degree at Oklahoma State University,
returned to Arkansas after 19 years
in extension, research and teaching
at OSU to lead the University of
Arkansas’ Department of Animal

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During his UA tenure, Dr. Lusby
built the animal science department
into a national powerhouse with
rebuilding and renovation projects
that increased jobs, graduates and
educational standards.
More than $10 million in facilities
construction and improvements
included the building of the Pauline
Whitaker Animal Science Center and
the Dorothy E. King Equine Pavilion,
as well as complete renovation of
research facilities at Fayetteville
and rebuilding the research station

800-967-0452

www.SeaMineralsFA.com

at Batesville. The Animal Science
Building was also renovated.
New scholarship endowments were
added to support an intense effort
to increase enrollment. With new
scholarship endowments increasing

more than $850,000, undergraduate
enrollment increased from 85 to more
than 200. To support the increased
enrollment, 12 new positions were
created for research, teaching and
extension.
In the effort to excell, Dr. Lusby
made decisions that would benefit
future students. Lusby closed two
dairies and the bull test program,
which shifted research away from
large beef herds to a diversified
mix of swine, beef cows, stocker,
feeders, dairy replacement
heifers and horses. Dr. Lusby
is an active member of the
Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association
and Foundation where he was

the development of the broiler industry
in southern and eastern Arkansas. Keith

For complete conference details, www.arkansaswomeninag.com.

Smith Company, Inc. was among the first
multifunction corporations in the broiler
industry before it became the standard.
Smith put together a hatchery, broiler
parent stock, feed milling and live growout to provide product to some of the first
commercial processing plants built in the
southern and eastern parts of the state.
During the early years of the Arkansas
poultry business, Smith provided broiler
chicks, live broilers and broiler hatching
eggs to companies, allowing them to focus
on other operations beyond the initial
stage of chick production. This provided
stability and growth for the poultry
industry. Now, 38,000 Arkansans are
employed by the poultry industry, and it
contributes more than $3.3 billion dollars
to the state’s economy.
Smith helped provide parent stock
for the central U.S. that would produce
hundreds of millions of broilers. As a
result, Smith is credited with aiding in the
development of the emerging markets of
products like range-fed, organic, Amishgrown and kosher chickens. His company
also provided hatching eggs for export

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markets, allowing poultry company
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Smith went to great lengths to assist

K i m Bra ck ett
Cow-calf producer

employees, customers and members of the
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Smith also helped with Arkansas Foodbank,
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Smith founded the Keith Smith Company,

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Inc. in 1948. He remained CEO until 1981
when he appointed his son, James Keith
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Œ„´*

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Arkansas Agriculture

15

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Arkansas Agriculture

17

Faces of Agriculture

Sunni Wise
All about ag
by Gregg Patterson

S

Sunni Wise, 18, is young,

vivacious and all about ag. The
Southern Arkansas University
freshman is majoring in
agriculture education. She’s also
fully immersed this school year
in ag issues as the 2013-14 state
secretary for FFA. For Sunni Wise,
it’s all about ag; strange, coming
from a girl who didn’t grow up
on a farm or get interested in
agriculture until high school.
The ag bug bit the Bismarck High
Keith Sutton

School graduate in ninth grade.
“I signed up for my first ag
class, because some of my friends
were showing goats. I thought
that was really cool,” Wise said.

All ag to the bone Sunni Wise is completing her freshman year at Southern Arkansas
University. The agriculture major is busy with school work, as well as her duties as FFA
grade, and I absolutely fell in love Secretary/Treasurer.
“I didn’t show a goat until 10th
with all of it.”
She showed goats the rest of high

“Sunni, I think you’d make a great ag

intelligently about agriculture issues.

school and got involved with FFA. “I

education teacher.” She says she brushed

“Farm Bureau is an asset to FFA but

found my passion. No matter where you

it off, but then got to thinking seriously

just like FFA, Farm Bureau is only as strong

come from or what you do, you can be

about it.

as its members are,” Wise said. “So Farm

something, be who you want to be and

“My entire life I wanted to work with

Bureau can look to FFA, and FFA can

work toward success in the FFA,” Wise

animals, which would be an ag teacher. I

look to Farm Bureau for strength. They’re

said. “You don’t have to be a farmer or a

wanted to work with kids, which would

beneficial to each other like a symbiotic

scientist who’s going to create the next

be an ag teacher,” she said. “And I wanted

relationship, and the result is both are

generation of soybeans to feed the world.

to make a difference. What other job can

helping the agriculture industry.”

You can just be you and bring what you

you have to make a difference in the lives

have to the table. And I like the aspect of

of people to help build them up into the

agriculture, that’s what Sunni Wise is all

being in the FFA, and I like that you can

people they want to be?”

about. She says her FFA experience has

make a difference in the field of agriculture
no matter what you’re doing.”
Originally, Sunni thought she wanted
to be a veterinarian. Then she realized
that wasn’t it. She wanted to be around

Helping spread the good word about

It was then she knew she was going

even helped her teach her family about ag.

to be an ag teacher. “I’m really interested

She’s even managed to get her 14-year-old

in Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom

brother interested in agriculture.

program,” she said.
Through FFA, she’s become familiar

“My little brother, Baylen, sent me a
text recently ‘Sister I joined ag’ when he

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Arkansas Agriculture

21

Policy Update
Take advantage of
ag tax cuts
Certify now
by Michelle Kitchens

D

During the 2013 legislative session,

the Arkansas General Assembly passed
several tax cuts for agriculture. The
legislature is to be commended for their
attention to the state’s largest industry
and the farmers who live in their
districts. The diverse tax cut package
included something for almost all
segments of agriculture, from cattlemen
to forestry.
The largest agriculture tax cut was
Act 1441 championed by Reps. Jeff
Wardlaw of Warren and Jon Eubanks
of Paris and Sen. Larry Teague of
Nashville. The bill had enormous
bipartisan support, with more than 80

exclusively serve the agriculture purpose

collecting taxes and will not apply the

legislators cosponsoring the bill. Act

or they aren’t eligible. If you don’t

exemption without proper certification.

1441 created a sales tax exemption for

already have the necessary certification

electricity, propane and natural gas used

form, download it from the Arkansas

big savings. Next time you see your

in poultry, cattle, dairy, horticulture,

Farm Bureau website, www.arfb.com, or

legislator, thank them for making this

swine and aquaculture facilities and

if you don’t have access to the Internet,

exemption possible. It’s important to

operations. That exemption took

contact Farm Bureau at 501-228-1229 or

let them know farmers appreciate their

effect on Jan. 1, and sign up for the

visit your local Farm Bureau office.

support. A similar exemption (Act 1401

exemption is ongoing. Act 1441 will

Farmers will need their meter and

It’s a simple process that leads to

by Sen. Dismang) for grain drying and

save farmers approximately $11 million

tank numbers, the physical location

storage will take effect on July 1. Those

annually. Economists estimate poultry

of the farm where the utilities are

meters will need to be certified through

farms will save about $600 per house

delivered, some tax identification

a similar process this spring.

per year.

information and your NAICS code. After

These tax cuts happened through the

the Arkansas Department of Finance and

efforts of our farmers who let legislators

for this exemption, you’ll need to

Administration receives the completed

know the legislation was important and

certify your meter and propane

forms, they’ll mail an official certificate

legislators who listened and kept the

tanks with the state. This is a simple

that indicates your farm is eligible for

pressure up at the capitol. In a time when

process and prevents people from

the exemption. Share copies of this

many are down on elected officials, it’s

claiming the exemption when they

certificate with all your utility providers.

good to be able to say thanks for the

aren’t eligible. Tanks or meters must

Those providers are responsible for

many good things they do.

If you think your farm is eligible

22

Arkansas Agriculture

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New Board Member Profiles
New board members elected
Thrash and Felts add talents
by Bricen Pace

J

Joe Carroll Thrash, 47, of

Conway and Sherry Wren Felts,
53, of Joiner are the newest
members on Arkansas Farm
Bureau’s Board of Directors.
The two were elected on
Dec. 6, 2013 during Arkansas
Farm Bureau’s 79th Annual

Convention.
Thrash joined Arkansas
Farm Bureau in 1989. A thirdhis farming operation in 1989
specializing in rice, soybeans,
wheat and corn. Thrash
followed his father to Farm
Bureau. His father, Carroll,

Joe Thrash

Keith Sutton

Keith Sutton

generation farmer, he started

Sherry Felts

served on the Faulkner
County Farm Bureau board.
“The opportunity to represent and
serve my fellow farmers was a major

was also active on the Membership

father. The Felts family was awarded the

Committee in 2013.

Mississippi County Farm Family of the

Outside of Arkansas Farm Bureau,

Year award in 2001.
Felts’ service within Farm Bureau

motivation to serve on the Arkansas Farm

Thrash has been a member of the

Bureau state board,” Thrash said. “I’m

Arkansas Soybean Association for 14

includes serving in Mississippi County

honored to be a part of the long history

years where he was elected to the

as vice chair of the Women’s Committee

of Arkansas Farm Bureau, looking out for

Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board in

from 2006 to 2007, and she has chaired

the interests of agriculture statewide.”

2013. Thrash is a member of the Faulkner

the county Women’s Committee since

Before being elected to the state

County 4-H Foundation. He and his wife,

2008. Felts worked for the state Rural

board, Thrash held positions at the

Renee’, have four children, Benjamin,

Health & Safety Committee in 2010 and

county level and worked on committees

Austin, Kate and Anna. He farms 1,050

has been vice chair of the state Women’s

at the county and state levels. Thrash

acres. Thrash enjoys trout fishing and

Committee since 2012.

became president of Faulkner County

hunting for deer and ducks.

Farm Bureau in 2001 and also served

Felts joined Arkansas Farm Bureau in

“There is a long, rich history of
Arkansas Farm Bureau in Mississippi

as president from 2008 to 2010. Thrash

1980. A second-generation farmer, Felts

County,” Felts said. “I’m proud to be a

was part of the state Young Farmers

began farming in 1980 specializing in

part of it, and I look forward to doing

& Ranchers Committee in 2000 and

rice, soybeans, wheat, cotton and milo.

what Farm Bureau does best, being an

the Resolutions Committee from 2010

Felts farms 2,000 acres with her husband,

advocate for and serving the interests of

to 2013. In Faulkner County, Thrash

Benton, her son, Wren, and Benton’s

agriculture throughout Arkansas.”

26

Arkansas Agriculture

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GROWING LEADERS
Arkansas Farm Bureau and the Bumpers
College of Agricultural, Food and Life
Sciences at the U of A improve the lives of
families across our state and nation, and
around the world. Our future is tied to
the businesses of foods and agriculture.
Congratulations to Ewell Welch, former
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Icy lace Ice from a February storm covers the trees, creating a lace-like look, on a hillside above this horse
pasture near Lonsdale. Photo by Keith Sutton.

28

Arkansas Agriculture

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Arkansas Agriculture

29

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Contact your local
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Existing Farm Bureau Bank loans are excluded from this offer.
*Rate disclosed as Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and based on exceptional credit. Some restrictions may apply based upon the make and model of equipment offered as collateral. Up to 90% financing for
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FB, and the FB National Logo are registered service marks owned by, and used by Farm Bureau Bank FSB under license from, the American Farm Bureau Federation.